Taming Hamsters

[Bloo]

Really? Even with a ventilated ball? Noted!

Yep, definitely no more than 10 - 15 mins max a couple of times a day.

 

[Kiarra]

Okay! Definitely noted. Thanks, everyone. Anything else I should know? Like toys, treats, etc?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

So you have not got an exercise wheel, no? You realy should get one as well as the exercise ball if you don't aready, hamsters will try and moniter their own body weight and exercise when nesarsary and my hamsters will spend up to 3hrs or more every night running in their wheels so even though its not advised to keep them long in their exercise balls you need to allow to let them exercise at will in some other way- in the wild they can travel up to 8miles every night in search of food so a fit hamster is a healthy and happy one .
As for treats, they are not realy treats but more a part of a healthy diet, but it is good to feed your hamster veg and fruit every day, mine love grapes, lettuce and carrots and they also love eating dry pasta, noodles and chedder cheese and extra peanuts as treats too

 

[Kiarra]

I couldn't find any wheels that would work for her in the store yet. Soon as I get a chance, I'm headed to search the local stores for one that fits the specifications. I just don't want her to break her poor little legs. The ones the store had had those straight bars that research told me she may get her legs caught up in. The last thing I want is her to get hurt. So that little issue will be ammended shortly.

I did build her a nice little maze to play around in out of toilet paper rolls, with the occasional escape hatch. She loves it. Unfortunately, I expect it to get eaten or completely soiled before too long. So unfortunate! It's a masterpiece, I tell you. She's exploring it right now.

I read on multiple sites that they like alfalfa and grass hay. I have horses, so I brought in a little bit of their hay and gave it to her. So far, she has been eating it. I trust that's not a problem...?

Thanks, Tokis. She IS my first hamster, well-researched though she was before her arrival, and I absolutely adore her already. I want everything to be right for her, so I figured I'd come here and ask for the general consensus of what has worked for everybody before, then integrate what I can and what's useful, and throw out whatever doesn't work or doesn't make sense.

 

[OohFeeshy]

With hay, don't use as bedding unless you freze it. Hay carries mites. Eating is OK though.

 

[Bloo]

This is the type of wheel I think would be best - available at Petdiscounters.com.
Somehow the large majority of plastic wheels (especially the ones with the only one "leg" on the side, or the clip on cage ones) I just do not find suitable for most hamsters (especially commons and the larger type of hamster - as their weight tends to cause the wheel to lean towards the unsupported side and I just think it must be uncomfortable for the hamster or almost certainly cause back strain. Not healthy in the long run in my opinion....
However that said, those types of plastic wheels are ok for small types of hamster, though not my personal preference.

Enjoy your new little hamster ! and on a side note - do not let her run around unsupervised in her ball

 

[Skylar]

Hay is not a good idea. It can puncture their cheek pouches. And it should be frozen before given, in case of mites.

Skylar

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Actually hay is fine, straw though is not as that is the one that can damage their cheek pouches- hay is basically a lot finer and more bendable and straw is thicker and more tough and there is a big difference between it and straw.
The only other thing i'd say about hamster wheels is try and invest in as bigger hamster wheel as posible- the bigger the wheel the less the hamsters back has to arch to run in it and hence the more comfortable it is for the hamster- i recently had to upgrade to some larger wheels for some of my rapidly growing syrian hamster babys/offspring.
As for hamster bedding, do not be fooled into buying that cotton wool like hamster bedding made for hamsters as if they eat it, it can cause major stomache problems for them and it can the fibres can also get caught around their legs.
The best hamster types of bedding i'd say is wood chippings(like the proper stuff you buy from your lps in bags and not any old stuff lying around) for the cage itself and toilet roll for the hamsters house inside its cage; hay is fine as another alternative for cage bedding but its not as absorbant as wood chippings.

When you hamster reaches 8months old i suggest you start giving her hamster mineral supliments in her water as old/mature hamsters can often become malnurished- basically the main signs of the hamster not getting enough minerals/vitamins is a dull and rough/scragly coat; most hamsters are a month old when sold in lps so you will be able to base her age on this .

 

[Skylar]

Oops..got a bit mixed up. Happens to the best of us. Hehe. If the hay is very sturdy or sharp, I wouldn't give it, but most hay isn't so it should be fine.

Skylar

 

[Kiarra]

Her bedding is plain white unscented toilet paper and paper towels, shredded for her. I read about the problems with cotton and other fluffy beddings...yikes! I can't find any wood chips so far that AREN'T aspen, so the paper towels and such are all over the cage.

The hay is simply for her consumption. I wouldn't want to handle her at all if it was her bedding, as I'm terribly allergic to the stuff.

She's just the tiniest little thing...about 3 inches long. She's a Campbell's Russian Dwarf...smaller than the Syrians. I don't think I'll have too much trouble finding a wheel that'll suit her, but I'll definitely get one of the bigger ones. (Thanks so much for the example, Bloozoo! I think I saw one of those the other day!)

I wouldn't dare leave her unwatched and unattended in her ball out roaming! With 5 cats in the house, her days would be numbered if she wandered off. I watch her like a hawk. Don't mind a bit...she's too cute for my own good.

Thanks, everyone! Your help is going to make this hamster the happiest, most spoiled little hamster around.

 

[Bloo]

Some pictures (if you can !!) would be lovely too

 

[Skylar]

Why can't you use aspen for bedding? Pine and Cedar are the only ones that are toxic. Aspen is perfect, Carefresh even better.

 

[Kiarra]

I'll have to find my mom's camera for pictures!

Is it aspen that's okay, then? Well, I just remember that the ones I found were the BAD ones, but it was late when I wrote my last post, and my brain was a little muddled.

She's just such a cute little thing. Has a dorsal stripe, which I adore. She matches one of my geldings! He has a dorsal stripe, too.

 

[Skylar]

Aspen is perfectly good, but if you find your hamster starts acting odd, then trash the aspen and go back to paper towels until you find Carefresh or something like that.

Pine and Cedar are the bad ones, they cause hamsters to have respiratory problems..


HTH,
Skylar

 

[Kiarra]

Got pictures. I'll post them in another thread with the other critters I have pictures of.